“Here we go.” He turned Natalie in his arms to face him. “Kiss me for good luck?”

She stretched to kiss him. “Kick ass, Patrick Hurley.”

He grinned, kissed her hard and fast and jogged out as their name was announced.

The smaller club show was one thing. She loved live music, had gone to shows pretty often. She could wrap her head around that, even with her boyfriend up onstage.

But this? This was...so much more than she could even begin to get around. The crowd didn’t just cheer, they roared. The sound echoed up from the floor she stood on, rattling her bones.

She couldn’t have stopped the smile on her face if she’d tried.

The Paddy at the microphone was hers. Yes, long and tall, the width of his shoulders sliding down to nip at his waist. That ass his jeans only made hotter, his Puma sneakers she’d found out he had a collection specifically to wear on tour. Tonight they were poison-green with a purple stripe.

He caressed the guitar she’d given him in much the same way he touched her.

“Hey, it’s you.” He teased the words out like a sexy come-on line and given the reaction of the crowd, it totally worked. “Love that haircut.” He winked, and she burst out laughing.

The crowd yelled out song titles, and he held a hand to his ear. “Did y’all have a request or two? Because I was thinking.” He paused and turned to the band. They went into a huddle, with Paddy looking over his shoulder in her direction a few times before he winked and headed back to the mic.

“Sorry, I had to be sure everyone remembered this one. This is ‘Dive Bar,’ and it goes out to my gorgeous blonde love.”

She’d always sort of suspected that song was about her, but had never asked. He counted into it, and they launched into the song.

It was impossible not to shake her ass just then, so she gave over and danced, hands up, gaze locked on Paddy as he started singing about seedy bars, too many cigarettes, cheap beer and f**king against an alley wall.

She should have been embarrassed. Worried that someone might think she’d actually do such a thing.

But she had. She did. They’d stumbled out the back door. He’d pushed her against the wall, kissing her hard and fast. One hand up her shirt, pinching her nipple, the other managed to shove her skirt and underpants out of the way and he’d f**ked her right then and there.

She’d loved it. The thrill of being wanted with such immediacy. The edge of the idea of being caught. Back then, she’d never have begun to imagine this future. She rarely thought more than a few months in advance, if that.

But she wasn’t ashamed of those weeks with Paddy. Everything they’d done, she’d done willingly. Had loved every moment. It had been a turning point, a pivot point.

“Dive Bar” ended, and they launched into “Chemicals,” and she kept dancing. Damien was a monster. He hit those drums so hard, a goofy grin on his face the whole time. Every once in a while, he’d lean in and sing.

“He’s adorable,” she said to Mary with a tip of her chin in Damien’s direction.

Mary laughed and nodded. “He’s a machine. But I like what it does to his forearms, and he’s always hot for me when he gets off stage.” She put an arm around Natalie’s shoulders. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

For a long time, her family had been 1022. And she realized as she stood there next to Mary, that these wily Hurleys with their noise and chaos had joined 1022 in her heart. They were part of her, too.

“Me, too. I needed to be here.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

PADDY CAME OFF stage after the third encore, handed his guitar to his tech and pulled Natalie close. Happiness had consumed him, made him a pool of contented male.

His woman had come to him and damn if he hadn’t needed it more than he’d even known until he’d looked up at the sound of her voice.

“Let’s go back to the hotel.” He’d already arranged for a car to be waiting when the show was over. He usually rode back with everyone else, but he didn’t want to share Natalie. Not for a while.

He led her through the crowd of people who seemed to materialize after the show. Just knowing he needed to be alone with her for hours and hours.

“Aren’t there things you need to do?” she murmured as he kissed her neck.

“Just you, gorgeous. I have a tour manager for all the other stuff.”

Their tour manager, Renn, would take care of everything that needed doing, so Paddy grabbed his bag and her stuff from his dressing room before catching sight of one of their security detail.

“Hey, Paul.” Natalie smiled the guard’s way.

Paul, who tended to frown more than any other expression, lit up. “Hey, there. I see you found him okay.”

Paddy’s brow rose, and he pulled her a little closer.

“Paul helped get me to you earlier when I arrived,” Natalie explained to Paddy.

“Thanks, man. Can you get us to the parking lot?”

“Definitely.”

There were fans there at the entrance, and he cursed under his breath.

“I’m not going anywhere for two days. Sign and be Paddy Hurley,” she said quietly.

He kept her hand. “I’m sorry. I’ll make it quick.”

She kissed him, which only made him want her more. “Hush. Do your job.”

“I’m going to make you come so hard,” he whispered against the outer shell of her ear before he licked it.